Twins?

[LadyDomino]

Other than Catherine de Medici's birth of twin daughters, does anyone know of any other births of twins born between 1066 and 1485 (and yes I am particularly interested in English, Scottish, Welsh or Irish births)?

Also was there any superstitions about twins from the Medieval period?

[Kimberly]

Hi. I have had a quick look through Weir and I can only find 2 sets of twins within the period you have specified ( although "and had issue" appears a lot and some of the issue may have been a twin pregnancy).
Edward 1 daughter, Elizabeth married Humphrey de Bohun and had twin boys.. William Earl of Northampton, and Edward. They were born circa 1310/1312.


James 1st of Scotland married Joan Beaufort, there was a twin pregnancy here resulting in Alexander who died on the same day as his birth ( 1430 ) and James who was the younger twin and became James 11.

The only myth I can recall and I cannot remember where I heard it was that people from the early medieval period believed that twins were the product of 2 separate fathers !!
Cheers. Kim.

[Suzanne]

Mary, Queen of Scots miscarried twins fathered by her third husband, Lord Bothwell

[Kimberly]

Yes but OP specifies the dates 1066 and 1485.

[LadyDomino]

Thanks Kimberly and Suzanne, very helpful.

[Kalafrana]

Outside royalty there were two important 12th century noblemen, Robert de Beaumont, Earl of Leicester (1104-68) and Waleran de Beaumont, Count of Meulan (1104-66), the twin sons of Robert de Beaumont, Earl of Leicester. Robert inherited their father's English lands, and Waleran the Norman lands.

Ann

[Tybalt]

In the french Capet dynasty, king Charles VII had twins daughters : Marie (07/09/1438+1439) and Jeanne (07/09/1438+26/12/1446), and king Philippe II had twins sons in 1190 , king Louis VIII had 2 twins sons in 1213